Abstract: A sharping lever for shortening the length of a vibrating string on a folk harp is described. The sharping lever is mounted along the neck of the harp directly below the tuning pin which secures one end of the vibrating string. The lever includes an L-shaped mounting bracket which is attached securely to the side of the neck of the harp. The sharping lever also includes a rotatably mounted cam which contacts the string along a tip portion. The rotational movement presses the string against a fixedly mounted fret. The fret is located at a position on the mounting bracket so as to precisely define the shortened length of the vibrating string thereby raising its frequency by one-half tone.

Abstract: A tremolo device for a guitar comprising a flat plate pivotably mounted about a fulcrum on the guitar, a bar secured to the flat plate, at least one tension spring for imparting rotational force to the flat plate and the bar in one rotating direction, against another rotating force derived from a tension of guitar strings, and a tremolo arm manually engageable with the flat plate to oscillate the flat plate and the bar to thereby produce a tremolo effect. The fulcrum is provided by at least two contacts between a pin-shaped member having a substantially half-spherical tip portion on a front end thereof and a concave member having a depression into which the pin-shaped member is inserted.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument of the type having a trussrod acting under tension for reinforcing the neck against warping is provided with a system for automatically increasing the tension on the trussrod in proportion to the tension on the strings, thus maintaining both neck straightness and optimal string height with respect to the fretboard and any pickups the instrument may have. The instrument's tailpiece pivots so as to redirect the string tension into tension applied to the trussrod. The tailpiece may be provided with fine tuners or with a tremolo bar. Even on operation of the tremolo bar, there is no tendency for the neck to warp, because the changes in string tension caused by the tremolo bar are automatically and immediately counteracted by the trussrod.

Abstract: A musical drum with a drum face, a wooden drum body and a buffer element. The buffer element is situated between the drum face and the drum body. The drum face includes a drumhead and a rim for clamping the drumhead across the buffer element by way of clamping screws. The pressure exerted by the drum head on the buffer element is absorbable by the buffer element.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of fine tuning an electric guitar having a plurality of guitar strings, a tremolo system including a bridge plate assembly having a pivotal connection to the guitar body and connected to each of said guitar strings, a tremolo arm connected to said bridge assembly for movement thereof about said pivotal connection, a bridge lever arm or sustain block on said bridge assembly extending into a cavity on the bottom face of said guitar and counterbalance springs connected to said guitar body in said cavity and connected to said lever arm of the bridge assembly and a tremolo control and stabilizer connected at one end to said guitar body and at the other end to said bridge plate assembly lever arm, said stabilizer including a composite spring means under compression and an adjustable nut for varying the compression of the composite spring.

Abstract: A pair of tension bolts for applying tension to a pair of drum heads are screwed individually into nuts. These nuts are held individually by means of a pair of lug bodies which are fixed to a drum shell. The lug bodies, which are formed by die casting, are connected to each other by means of a connecting member. The connecting member, which has a uniform cross-sectional shape throughout its length, is formed by pressing a metal plate with a predetermined length, or by cutting a metal pipe into a predetermined length. Two opposite end portions of the connecting member are fitted individually in openings at the respective end portions of the lug bodies. A hole is formed in each end portion of the connecting member. The lug bodies and the connecting member are connected so that projections on the lug bodies are fitted individually in the holes of the connecting member.

Abstract: In construction of a clutch unit for a high-hat cymbal in which mechanical connection of an upper cymbal plate to an extension rod is canceled by striking a clutch lever by a stick, the clutch lever is arranged in a substantially horizontal disposition. Cancellation of the mechanical connection can be effected by vertically striking the clutch lever as in the case of normal performance of the cymbal.

Abstract: A musical instrument stand which includes a plurality of mounting stations for holding various musical instruments which is rotatable to facilitate a musician changing instruments quickly and which is heated to maintain the temperature of all instruments at the normal operating temperature to improve and control tonal qualities. The instrument stand includes a base with a platform being generally circular and rotatably movable with rerspect to the base. A heat chamber is defined between the platform and the base to act as a reservoir for heated air. A heating device is adapted to heat air which is transported into the air chamber. Instrument support members are attachable with respect to mounting stations defined on the platform. Attachment of a support member biases a flap to an opened position to allow heated air to flow upwardly to contact the musical instrument for maintaining it at operating temperature.

Abstract: An improved and more versatile, variable capotasto for multistringed instruments, such as guitars, banjos, mandolins and the like. This capotasto is attached to the neck of an instrument by a resilient strap, containing eyelets for adjustment expediently from fret to fret positions. Optionally, a spring loaded or thumb screw adjustable clamp can be made onto the capotasto in order to attach it to an instrument. The unit consists of a Mounting Block which contains 6 (for guitars) spring-tensioned Plungers with padded tips. The Mounting Block also supports a sub-system of 6 vertically installed Cam Levers, each of which respectively can cause any one of the 6 Plunger's tips to press upon an instrument's string behind a fret bar. Hence, this allows the musician to conveniently and quickly change the pitch of any or all strings with this capotasto. The 6 strings can be selectively changed to any combination of open or muted notes, as well as augmenting a multiplicity of open and bar chords.

Abstract: A graphic/tactile musical instruction system includes a three-row equal temperament whole tone graphic/tactile keyboard and a nomographic system of music notation. In a first embodiment of the keyboard, an upper row of keys produces the notes C.sup.# /D.sub.b, D.sup.# /E.sub.b, F, G, A and B, with the C.sup.# /D.sub.b and D.sup.# /E.sub.b keys being extended forward. The upper row keys are narrower in the highest octaves. The middle row produces the notes C, D, E, F.sup.# /G.sub.b, G.sup.# /A.sub.b and A.sup.# /B.sub.b, with the F.sup.# /G.sub.b, G.sup.# /A.sub.b, and A.sup.# /B.sub.b keys extended forward. The lower row keys are aligned with and play the same notes as the upper row keys. In a second embodiment of the keyboard, the upper row keys are narrower in the upper octaves. The F and G upper row keys have raised top surfaces, extended and beveled front ends, and darkened surfaces. The middle row C keys have extended and beveled front ends, raised top surfaces, and darkened surfaces.

Abstract: A mouthpiece plate for a flute-type wind instrument is disclosed. The mouthpiece plate or a portion thereof is pivotable or movable to provide for incremental adjustments of the movable portion to assist the flutist in establishing the optimum embouchure for his or her facial skeletal and muscular characteristics. In an alternative embodiment, the mouthpiece plate is fixed but has a shape which provides stability for the instrument and aids in establishing optimum embouchure.

Abstract: In construction of a key mechanism for a wood wind having an A key for an A sound hole, a register key for a Bb sound hole and for a lower vent tube, and a G/D key for the lower vent tube, a lock unit is provided to inhibit release of the lower vent tube when the A and register keys are concurrently operated for generation of a crisp Bb sound with reduced growls.

Abstract: The tonal body disparity between low and high frequency in a stringed instrument and the like may be balanced out by providing asymmetrical mass loading wherein a larger mass is provided to the side of the guitar having strings of high frequency than to the other side. This may be achieved by actual embedding a rigid mass of density greater than that of the body of the instrument into said body.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a harp formed of a plurality of constituent parts wherein the plurality of constituent parts are produced from composite materials. In accordance with the present invention the composite materials from which the constituent parts are formed are selected from the group consisting of carbon, polyparaphenyleneterephthalamide, glass fibers and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: An improved musical instrument, having a veneer comprising seashells in a fiberglass and polyester resin. A method for producing a seashell veneer, which includes preparing a selected surface with a polyester and fiberglass based resin; heating seashells to deformation and affixing the seashells to the surface; striking the heated shells to create a plurality of smaller elements; coating the affixed shell segments with the fiberglass and polyester resin to fill the interstitial spaces; sanding the surface to achieve a desired finish.

Abstract: A violin holder which slips onto the chest and shoulder of a musician retains a violin in the playing position with good stability, avoiding the need for the musician to cradle the instrument between his shoulder and chin. The violin holder is light in weight and of low profile, barely visible on the musician. In preferred embodiments it dismantles and folds and can be stored in a standard violin case along with the violin.

Abstract: Bridge for improving volume, power and sustaining quality in a stringed musical instrument of the type having a hollow body over which are stretched substantially parallel strings, each string being stretched. The string height is raised over the sound board. One end of a string may be anchored to a crossbrace on the underside of the sound board so as to directly vibrate this sound board. It also incorporates a means an adjustment mechanism for string length fine tuning. The result is increased sound, volume and resonance persistence which is without distortion that may result in increased amplification when applied to guitars or other stringed instruments.

Abstract: Small portable device for pre-stressing and holding replacement strings for a musical instrument, comprises a beam part along which the strings extend and to one end of which they are fastened. The other end of the beam part has manually operable string attachment and draft keys, for tensioning the strings the desired amount. The beam part has frets spaced with relation to the diapason of the musical instrument, to aid in tuning the replacement strings to the necessary pitch.

Abstract: A percussion instrument in the nature of a drum is disclosed having a shell-like body and a pair of elastic top and bottom drum heads. A hoop is provided to stretch the top drum head across the top of the drum body and a stretching wheel is provided for stretching the bottom drum head across the bottom of the drum body. The top and bottom drum heads vibrate at a pitch level proportional to the tension produced in each drum head. The stretching wheel is rotatably mounted on the top end of a shaft positioned below the drum body. A coupling wheel is threadably engaged to the shaft and is peripherally connected to the hoop by a set of elongated tension rods.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument wherein the interconnection between the main body portion and the neck is arcuate in shape whereby the two parts may be quickly and easily aligned during manufacture without requiring a restructuring.